Emily sat there feeling numb after her mother explained the whole story. She didn't feel any empathy at all towards her mother, who had tried to explain how different Jeremiah Fisher had been when they were engaged in their early 20s and how it had ended because her sister had told her he was seeing another woman. Emily didn't care that her mother had still loved Jeremiah even after meeting and marrying William and getting recruited by the CIA. Emily felt anger when Holly described finding out she was to kill Jeremiah and decided not to. She hated that her mother got pregnant with her with Jeremiah and lied to William. The worst part of the story was her mother's sister getting involved again to help her leave Jeremiah after he became abusive, and her sister ended up getting killed with William because she'd gone to get Emily after Fisher had threatened to take her. She'd arrived too late, and Holly didn't get there in time to stop Fisher from killing her and William. The fact that William was Fisher's employee was unexpected and shocking to Holly. She'd had no idea. Emily didn't care how sorry her mother was. Her mother was to blame for all of this in Emily's mind.

Holly looked at her and Frank, who was standing behind Emily's chair with his arms crossed.

"He's going to try again," Holly said after a moment.

"So what do you propose we do about it?" Frank asked her.

"I have to get in touch with my team," Holly answered. "But it's me he wants to take out. You need to get Emily far away from here. I'll deal with Fisher."

"How do you know that?" Emily asked now. "How do you know he won't just follow me? He wants me to be his heir or whatever. He won't stop trying to find me."

Banging on the door made them all jump, and both Frank and Holly whipped out their guns as they stood up, aiming towards the sound. Holly moved to look, and she lowered her gun with a sigh.

"It's Charlie," she said. Frank lowered his gun slightly as she opened the door, and Charlie Charlton came in.

"You really make a scene, don't you?" Charlie asked, hugging her. He saw Emily and Frank then, and he looked a little sheepish.

"I can't believe you knew all of this," Emily said to him accusingly.

"It was to keep you safe," Charlie tried.

"And now I'm so confused as to who is right and wrong that my brain wants to explode," Emily cut in.

"I'm sorry," Charlie told her. "I really am. I do love you, though, Em. I've felt like your father this whole time."

Emily said nothing as she looked at her folded hands on her lap. She still felt like he was her father too, but she didn't want to admit that. She didn't want to make Holly feel good about it.

"Thanks for not taking her to where she was supposed to go," Charlie said to Frank. "I knew I could count on you."

"So you do remember me," Frank noted.

"Of course," Charlie nodded. "You were one hell of a soldier. I knew Em would be in good hands with you."

"What are you doing here?" Holly asked him, interrupting.

"There's some chatter that Fisher is planning on starting to blow things up if he doesn't get Emily," Charlie explained.

"Well, he can blow up all he wants," Holly retorted. "He's not getting Emily."

"We're talking schools here, Hol," Charlie said to her sternly. "Not just empty buildings."

Holly swore and started to pace. Emily felt scared. She didn't want innocent children to die for her sake. She got to her feet and faced them all.

"Give me a gun," she ordered. "I'll go tell him I changed my mind and want to join him, and then I'll kill him."

"He won't buy that," Frank said. "He won't be looking to recruit you anymore. Right, Holly?"

"Probably not," Holly agreed. "He's going to look at it as, if he can't have you, then no one can."

"Then I die," Emily said. "Just me and no one else."

"You're awfully calm about that," Charlie noted.

Emily wasn't calm at all, but she couldn't bear the idea of children dying in her place. She couldn't understand Fisher's logic behind doing something like that.

"Well, I was hoping that you all could actually prevent it," she said. "But let Fisher think I'm willing to die."

"You're not going to die on my watch," Frank promised, breaking his rule for the second time. Emily gave him a half smile, but she was still feeling scared.

"We should get to the team," Charlie said. "Come up with a plan and go from there."

"All right," Holly agreed, heading for the door. Emily hung back with Frank, and Charlie gave her a knowing look before shutting the door behind them.

"Emily," Frank started, but she stopped him.

"This might be the last time we're together," she said. "And I don't want to think about death or anything bad. I just want to have this moment with you before we go out that door and possibly never have a chance to again."

"Okay," he nodded. She hugged him tightly, and he held her back just as tight. She felt comforted by the feel of his heart beating against her. After a moment, he moved to kiss her, and she kissed him back hard and passionately. Having to stop was the hardest thing she'd done that day, and he rested his forehead against hers, his fingers brushing her hair back.

"Be safe," she whispered.

"I will," he promised. "You too."

"I'll try." When Charlie banged on the door, it was time to go. Frank held Emily's hand as they walked out into the sunlight together towards a very dark, unknown future.

...

Frank didn't want to screw this up. He wanted it over for Emily just as much as she wanted it to be over. He jostled in the back of the truck with Charlie, Holly, and the rest of the team Holly had at her beck and call. Emily was on her own, going to meet Fisher at the place she told him to meet her. Holly had gotten in touch with him via the radio he was using to communicate his demands with.

"She'll be all right," Charlie assured him, clapping a hand on his shoulder now. Frank said nothing in return. The only comfort he had was knowing Tarconi was okay. Holly looked into it for him and advised the old chap was recovering at the hospital and wanting to be updated.

"I want eyes on Emily at all times," Holly was saying now to the team. "She does not leave your sight, understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," came the response from the men. Frank met Holly's eyes, and he knew he didn't have to tell her what he'd do to her if Emily got hurt.

In ten minutes, they arrived at their destination.

...

Emily did her breathing to keep herself calm. She'd contacted Fisher on the number he'd given Holly and arranged to meet him by the pier. She was walking towards it now feeling like she was walking to her death. She knew Frank was out there with Charlie, Holly, and their team, but she felt that somehow things weren't going to work out the way they wanted it to.

She walked cautiously to the end of the pier where they'd agreed to meet, and she waited. When he stepped out of the shadows moments later, she felt her heart almost stop.

"You do have the boldness of your mother," Fisher commented. Emily looked up at him as he approached. He was quite tall.

"I wouldn't know. I've never known her," she retorted.

"You've definitely got my rage," he smiled.

"What do you expect from someone who has been lied to for all these years?" Emily snapped. She hugged herself.

"I think you and I could be a force to be reckoned with," he said, tilting his head at her.

"I don't know what I want," she admitted. She wasn't sure if he was going to kill her or if he was still thinking he could get her to join him. She was buying time regardless.

"Let's go chat about it then," Fisher suggested, nodding his head towards a yacht on the dock. "Let's go."

"Where?"

"Get on the boat," he said roughly, grabbing her arm and turning her around to walk her to it. Emily felt a bit of fear. This wasn't part of the plan. How were they going to save her when she was on the bloody water?

She moved to strike Fisher, but he saw it coming and had her hands bound behind her back in moments. Emily tried not to feel frightened as they walked up to the yacht and cast off.

...

"Holly," Frank said, seeing what was happening from his roost. "What now?"

"Bastard," Holly said angrily. "Okay, people. Sniper in position?"

"I don't have a clear shot," the sniper replied.

"Bloody hell," Holly growled. "Fine. I'll deal with this myself." She moved from her location and ran for an empty boat. Charlie and Frank were right behind her. No way was Frank leaving it up to Holly to save Emily. The rest of the team was left on standby on shore. Holly was calling for air support now. Frank had no idea how this was going to go down.

...

"You know why she took you from me?" Fisher asked as they sat on the chairs on his yacht. Emily had seen at least five guards. There could be more, but she didn't know.

"Why?" she asked, humoring him.

"She didn't want me to train you. She didn't want me to see your potential. She didn't want to lose you to me," Fisher answered.

"I think she was worried you were going to murder me," Emily retorted.

"Well, it's not too late for that," Fisher chuckled.

"Are you really going to blow up schools full of children?" she challenged. "You've got me now, leave them alone."

"Schools are a place where lessons are taught and learned, and there's a big lesson being taught with my demonstration," Fisher explained.

"Like what?"

"Like don't mess with the big dog if you can't handle the consequences," he smirked.

"You're insane," Emily said.

"So I've heard."

There was a thump alongside the yacht, and Fisher looked at his watch.

"Right on time," he said, getting up. "Don't go anywhere."

Emily was thinking about it, but an armed guard came to stand next to her after Fisher had left. She was working on the rope around her wrists but it was not budging so far. Moments later, Fisher returned with Frank and Holly.

"Look who came!" he said cheerfully. "Just like I was hoping. I'm having some deja vu here, but if I recall, the roles were reversed last time."

"Save it, you savage animal," Holly snapped. "Our daughter is not a pawn in your game. I'm the one you want. Let her walk out of here with Frank, and it's all over."

Fisher snapped his fingers, and the guard pulled Emily to her feet. The three of them walked towards the end of the boat. Emily swallowed, knowing what was coming next. Holly and Frank followed cautiously.

"I think you remember me well enough to know that if I can't have Emily, no one can," Fisher said.

"I know," Holly nodded. "And I'm here to tell you that you're being ridiculous."

"Would you rather an entire school of innocent children die?" Fisher asked, holding up his cell phone. Emily tensed.

"I'd rather no one die today," Holly said calmly.

"It comes back to choices, luv," Fisher told her. "What do you choose? One child's life or hundreds?"

"My life for theirs," Holly said.

"No. Not an option," Fisher shook his head. They were at the front of the boat now, and Emily felt dizzy as she looked behind her down at the water below. She looked back to see that Frank had engaged in a fight with two guards now while Holly was fighting one. Fisher was watching, amused.

"I'll never be like you," Emily told him. "Because I actually have a heart."

"I guess we'll never know," Fisher said. His attention was diverted when Frank put down both guards like they were dolls, and Holly did as well. Emily saw the fourth guard sneak up behind them, and neither of them noticed.

"Behind you!" she shouted. Fisher backhanded her instantly, and she fell to her knees. She watched as Frank turned to see the gun aimed at him and the "oh shit" look appeared on his face before Holly dove right in front of him, taking the bullet instead.

"NO!" Emily shrieked. Frank had disarmed and taken out the last man at this point and turned back to face Fisher.

"Choices, Frank," Fisher said, hauling Emily up by the hair and making her cry out. "Life is all about choices. It's your turn to make one next. Me or her."

"FRANK!" Emily screamed just as Fisher shoved her off the side of the boat. She inhaled long and hard right before hitting the water, and she felt the shock of the cold afterwards. She did her best to kick, but without her hands, it wasn't doing her much good. Of all the ways to die, drowning was not how she imagined it would happen.

...

Emily's scream rang in Frank's ears as he stood there knowing he had to choose between Fisher escaping and blowing up a school full of kids or Emily drowning. Fisher was grinning at him as he started to back away, the boat starting to move again. Then, Charlie appeared. He looked as though he'd gone through hell, which Frank imagined he had, fighting his way to them alone. He'd hidden on the boat when they docked to give the ultimate surprise. It was very evident on Fisher's face that it worked.

"SAVE MY DAUGHTER!" Charlie bellowed at Frank before running after Fisher, who had started to run. Frank no longer hesitated. He ran to the side and dove into the water. It was cold, which he expected. After getting his bearings, he searched for her. He found her sinking and swam hard to get to her, grabbing a hold of her arm and yanking her back upwards. He did his best not to let the cold affect him. When they broke the surface, she gasped and coughed.

"F-Frank," she said, teeth chattering.

"Hold on," he instructed. He managed to untie her hands while staying afloat, and she held onto his shoulders tightly. He knew they couldn't get back on the yacht as it had moved on from them by now. He turned to find another solution, but there wasn't really one

"Is this the end?" she asked.

"We're not dying," he replied. He didn't want to admit that it was a possibility. No sense in scaring her further. The water was cold, but it wasn't Frank's first time, so his teeth weren't chattering as much as Emily's were. Not yet.

A smaller boat was approaching them now, and Frank felt immense relief.

"Need a lift?" Tarconi asked when he arrived.

"What the hell?" Frank spluttered. "You're in the hospital!"

"Correction: I was in the hospital," he smiled. "I signed myself out."

"Well, I think I can say for both of us how happy we are to see you," Frank said. Emily nodded, teeth still banging from the cold. They swam closer, and Tarconi reached to grab Emily's hand and haul her into the boat. Frank pulled himself out right after.

"Here," Tarconi said, handing them blankets. Frank wrapped Emily in one tightly, and she gripped it with her right hand.

"You sh-should have l-let me drown," she said to him once he was beside her in his own blanket. "Those kids d-didn't deserve to d-die."

"They didn't," Frank promised.

"Wha-?"

Gunshots in the distant made her look towards the yacht to see a body fall off it and hit the water. It didn't resurface.

"I th-thought my m-mother was dead?" Emily asked, looking at Frank.

"It wasn't her," Frank replied. "It was your father."

She looked very confused until he gave her a knowing look back.

"Charlie," she said, getting it.

"He's always been your father. A father doesn't have to be by blood, you know. He's your father in his own way, just not the traditional way."

Emily didn't say anything else at this point. Her eyes were full of tears, though. Tarconi steered them back to shore, and Frank turned his head to see the yacht turning around to follow. He didn't know if Holly was alive. They would find out shortly.